


The Howling Superheroes

by nhasablog



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bonding, Fluff, Gen, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-02 00:15:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15785031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nhasablog/pseuds/nhasablog
Summary: “You should go talk to them,” Tony was saying. “They don’t bite, and I’m sure they can provide you with more details of their Howling Commandos days if you asked.”So Peter asked, because he’d learned months ago not to fear the superheroes in his life. They considered him an equal, at least to a certain extent.Bucky was surprised at his question. Steve over the moon. It was funny how easy it was to make Captain America smile hugely at you. It barely took any effort at all.





	The Howling Superheroes

**Author's Note:**

> An anon on tumblr requested a Peter, Steve and Bucky fic, and I was happy to deliver!

Peter had conflicted feelings about Captain America, and he was certain no one who’d once been or currently was a part of the public school system in any way could blame him. They’d quite literally  _drilled_ that guy into their heads. The tiniest misstep and you had an old and way too chunky television dropped in front of you with Cap wagging his finger disapprovingly at you. Peter had almost instinctively rolled his eyes when he saw him in the flesh for the first time during that airport fight.

Mr Stark howled with laughter when Peter told him this, and Peter had to admit it was a little funny, you know, if you hadn’t been scarred from that stupid television.

But while Captain America held a very weird place in his heart, Steve Rogers was just a stranger he was getting to know, once everything was settled and they were all a team. It was strange, seeing that mouth do more than thin out in an attempt at looking disappointed in a milder way so to not make kids cry. Seeing him laugh and grimace and be in 3D. His younger self would never have believed this if anyone decided to go back in time and inform him of this.

“You should tell him,” Tony said one day, amusement dancing in his eyes at the mere thought. “I bet he’d be horrified.”

Peter shook his head. “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

“He’s quite literally a public school inside joke. He deserves to know of this legacy.” Tony was saying this all with fondness. It was almost entirely concealed by his tone, but Peter could detect it.

He bit back a grin. “I think Mr Barnes has a legacy, too.”

“Oh?”

“We were discussing the Howling Commandos in history class the other day. It took me forever to figure out why it sounded so familiar.”

James Buchanan Barnes. The best sniper in the war, according to some. Captain America’s closest friend. The guy who came back as the Winter Soldier. Fortunately the Winter Soldier part wasn’t being taught at school. Peter doubted they even knew it was the same person.

He was curious about Bucky. Had been since the whole airport fight when he’d seen his metal arm and realized he was the reason Steve left Tony in a chaotic retreat. Tony had shed his bitterness ages ago, and Peter was trying to do the same. Now he was just intrigued.

“You should go talk to them,” Tony was saying. “They don’t bite, and I’m sure they can provide you with more details of their Howling Commandos days if you asked.”

So Peter asked, because he’d learned months ago not to fear the superheroes in his life. They considered him an equal, at least to a certain extent.

Bucky was surprised at his question. Steve over the moon. It was funny how easy it was to make Captain America smile hugely at you. It barely took any effort at all.

“We’d love to tell you about it,” Steve said. “It was a long time ago, but due to obvious circumstances-” he shrugged, as if this meant nothing to him. “I remember it as if it was yesterday.”

Peter had heard that you needed to be respectful when talking to veterans. Don’t push them. Show your appreciation. Sit back and listen until it’s your turn to talk.

So that was what he did, and Steve talked as if he’d been forced to keep his mouth shut for way too long. Peter realized it must’ve been too painful to reminisce when he’d first woken up, but the years had healed him at least a little bit, and now he spoke of his friends fondly. Peter hadn’t necessarily asked because he’d wanted to hear about the war - god knew they’d heard about it every single year at school - so he was glad that Steve kept the stories varied. He told him of the war, yes, but also about how close you got to the people you fought with. How much like a family they became.

Bucky kept quiet during the majority of this. Peter knew you shouldn’t compare traumas, and Bucky had quite literally gotten out of a brainwashed hell only recently. Peter didn’t blame him for not feeling like sharing.

But then he suddenly did. Started laughing, even, as he recounted a story of Steve getting caught in a branch and losing his balance and quite literally rolling down a hill.

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” Steve said, but he was laughing too.

“You’re damn lucky only I saw you. I was so used to seeing your clumsy ass tumbling around that I barely batted an eye.”

“If I recall correctly you rushed down to help me.”

“Because I wanted to make sure you hadn’t broken half your body! Only then did it occur to me that you were Captain America.” He reached out to tweak Steve’s side. “Apparently not even a serum can make you walk like a human.”

Steve shoved his hand away. “Oh, stop. I was focusing on the map in my hands.”

“Can’t even multitask.”

Steve pointed at him. “You’re lucky we’re not alone.”

“Oohh, I’m so scared.”

Peter watched the exchange with amusement. Maybe his history teacher was onto something when she’d said Sargent Barnes was one of the the most important people in Captain America’s life.

“Anyway,” Steve said, ignoring Bucky’s smirk. “Enough about us. Peter, how’s school?”

“Oh! Uh, all right I guess.”

“That’s such a boring question, Steve.”

“You think of something then.”

“What’s the most illegal thing you’ve done?” Bucky asked, leaning forward.

Peter eyed Steve. “Uh, I’d rather not- I mean-”

“Oh, come on. You’re among friends.”

“They use Captain America tapes whenever we’ve done something bad in school,” he blurted out. “And if Mr Rogers looks at me the way Captain America has looked at me for years I’m not sure what I’ll do.”

“Wait, wait, back up.” Bucky looked like he was a second away from bursting into laughter. “They use  _what_?”

* * *

 

They became closer after that. It was inevitable, since Peter had seen Steve turn red while Bucky almost passed out from laughing at his plight. He had to admit it felt nice to hang out with older people whom he didn’t feel the need to impress the way he did with Mr Stark. Sure, he adored Mr Stark, but he had yet to let go of his constant fear that he was disappointing him. Disappointing Captain America had stopped being a problem several years ago.

“Wait, you’ve never been on a date?”

“Not a proper one.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

Peter let out a laugh, which was a nice break from the blush he’d been wearing since Bucky had brought up his nonexistent love life. “It’s okay. It hasn’t really been a priority anyway.”

“Not everyone is like you, Buck,” Steve said, turning to Peter. “He started dating before he’d even hit puberty.”

“Excuse you. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Never said it was. Just like there’s nothing wrong with not dating.”

“Oh, sorry, did I hit a nerve?”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Stop.”

“He’s just jealous because I tried to set him up with people and he messed it up each time,” Bucky told Peter.

“Hey now!”

Peter was laughing, happy to not be the focus of this anymore. He’d found it extremely amusing to watch the two of them interact. The really did act like they’d known each other since they were in diapers.

“You can’t deny the truth, Rogers.”

“What does it say about you that you’ve been on countless of dates, hm?”

“You’re asking for it now.”

Bucky reached out and grabbed Steve’s arms and pulled him closer easily, knocking a cushion down from the couch in the process. Steve started fighting back vehemently, almost making Peter believe this was serious. But then he was laughing, because Bucky had-

Oh… okay. Peter had a feeling they’d forgotten he was present, since he wasn’t sure a tickle fight would be something they’d do in front of him. It quite honestly felt like he was witnessing something private, and out of respect he started getting up to leave. Apparently that had been the wrong thing to do.

“Hey, wait, where are you going, huh?”

It took him a second to realize Bucky had addressed  _him_. “Uh, nowhere?”

Mischief was so very evident in both of their eyes. “You scared you’ll become a victim?”

“No?” It hadn’t even occurred to him.

“You sure act like it.”

Uh oh.

Peter sat down again, smiling sheepishly. “I’m not fleeing, see?”

“Maybe we should make you the victim, since you’ve already accused us of the act.”

“I wasn’t!”

“Steve, squeeze his knee for me, will you?”

And, to Peter’s immense surprise, Steve did.

His reaction just put fuel in the fire that was suddenly raging, but he couldn’t help it. He jerked away so violently that he felt he deserved their smug smirks.

“Would you look at that.” Bucky, whom he’d once perceived as quiet and possibly timid, had such a playful glint in his eye that Peter wondered if this was the same man. “You ticklish, Peter?”

“Would you believe me if I said no?”

“Not really.”

“Then yes?”

They both laughed. “I like that you’re honest,” Bucky said, and Peter almost thought he’d dodged a bullet, but he knew he was screwed when Bucky got up to sit on his other side.

Okay, maybe screwed was the wrong term for it. He knew he was in a somewhat unfortunate situation? No, that one didn’t feel right either.

He was in a ticklish situation, with all its pros and cons. And he didn’t mind it too much.

Not that he would tell them.

Bucky was the one to initiate it, his non-metal fingers prodding Peter’s ribs as if curious. As if wondering what the reaction would be, only they kept it up once Peter  _did_ react.

Peter had to admit it was a strange reaction. Rather than getting up, which he would be able to do easily since he was almost as strong as Bucky, he stayed put, hands flailing around to block him. Not even stop him by grabbing his wrists. Just stopping it momentarily.

Tickling truly was the best way to slow down a mind.

And then it was over. Peter looked at Bucky, who was looking at Steve. “You planning on helping?”

Steve shrugged. “Helping you or helping him?”

“Whatever you think will have the best results.”

“Well, in that case.”

Steve attacked Bucky, leaving Peter seated on the couch, watching them struggle beside him as if this were an everyday occurrence. Who knew. Maybe from now on it would.

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my [tumblr](http://nhasablog.tumblr.com).


End file.
